Completions Industry Hopes To Shake Up 2024 and Beyond

The state of the completions market has changed a lot in the last few years, shaped in part by a post-pandemic consumer base whose preferences in style, design, and functionality of space have evolved with the times. Several factors are seemingly at play in this shift, with customers seeking to have more versatile compatibility in the functions of their cabin space, more streamlined and modern designs, and better connectivity using the latest technology.

VIP Completions president Ben Shirazi told AIN that customers’ taste in design has shifted towards the minimalist “Apple store” aesthetic that is commonly seen in modern home design—a shift away from the classic “wood grain” and natural materials look that previously dominated so much of the market.

From the Archives: PC-24 Draws Flood of Orders at EBACE

As scheduled, Pilatus Aircraft opened the orderbook for the PC-24 twinjet on opening day at EBACE 2014, and all day long at the Pilatus booth chairman Oscar Schwenk and CEO Markus Bucher signed contracts with avid buyers.

The first contract was inked by Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia, with an order for four PC-24s. U.S. fractional-share PC-12 operator PlaneSense placed an order for six PC-24s, and other buyers included Falcon Aviation Services of the UAE, with two; Luxembourg-based Jetfly, four; U-Haul International in the U.S., two; and many others. By four p.m. that day, the live order board at the Pilatus booth listed orders for 75 PC-24s, of which some were clearly orders from dealers.

BJT: Will the WNBA be Flying Privately? Not Really

Given headlines like “WNBA Players Will Finally Fly Private Thanks to Delta” (Travel & Leisure) and “How Caitlin Clark Got the WBNA Private Planes,” (AeroXplorer), women’s basketball fans could be forgiven for thinking that the league’s increasingly famous players had been supplied with a fleet of bizjets.

After all, on the men’s side, it has been reported that the Los Angeles Lakers own a custom-designed Boeing 757-200, that the Dallas Mavericks own a Boeing 767-200ER (or at least had the use of former team owner Mark Cuban's private jet), and that the Boston Celtics fly around in a Boeing 737-800.

Hope Floats with Samaritan Seaplanes

A small, volunteer group of seaplane pilots, mechanics, and nurses are making a life-saving difference in one of the most impoverished places on the planet.

Life in Papua New Guinea is short, brutal, and poor. It is one of the few places on the planet where polio and tuberculosis have made comebacks and cholera outbreaks still kill thousands. Malaria afflicts 164 of every 1,000 people. Average life expectancy is just 65.

Brexit Frustrating UK Bizav as Election Approaches

UK voters will choose a new government in a snap general election on July 4—almost five years since the current Conservative administration achieved decisive majority with a promise to “get Brexit done.” The country’s departure from the European Union has been a largely unacknowledged topic in the campaign, with neither of the two main parties wanting to rekindle such a highly divisive issue.

Conservatives have failed to gain traction for any tangible benefits from earlier boasts about “Brexit freedoms.” The Labour opposition, which is as much as 25 points ahead in polling, has talked cautiously about recasting the UK’s relationship with the EU while shying away from any suggestion that it might seek to fundamentally reverse Brexit.

Lilium Rolls Out Plan for French Riviera eVTOL Service

Lilium and its partners aim to launch a network of eVTOL air services connecting communities across the French Riviera. Starting in 2026, flights in the four- to six-passenger Lilium Jet are expected to operate between Monaco, Nice, Sophia Antipolis, Cannes, Saint Tropez, Aix-en-Provence, and Marseille.

On Tuesday at EBACE 2024, the German manufacturer announced a partnership with Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur and Italian infrastructure group UrbanV. Lilium said it is in discussions with several existing aircraft operators that have shown interest in acquiring Lilium Jets to serve the affluent communities in the south of France, which attract around 11 million visitors each year.

Euro Bizav Says It Is Key Part of Climate Change Solution

Private aviation has become an easy target for climate change activists, in part due to its association with high-net-worth individuals. Holger Krahmer, the new leader of the European Business Aviation Association, is making the case for the industry’s commitment to decarbonization to be recognized and for regulators to understand how it differs from the airlines.

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